Pacific Partnership 2023 (PP23) concluded its first mission stop in Tuy Hoa, Phu Yen, Vietnam on August 18. While in Phu Yen, PP23 completed 120 subject matter expert exchanges in the areas of public health and preventive medicine at community health engagements, and 11 dental events, serving more than 500 patients, 93 surgeries, five of which were pediatric, and 64 people received nutritional counseling.
There were 70 personnel trained in basic life support events and 55 personnel trained in advanced life support. Also, over 100 Pacific Partnership and Vietnamese personnel worked side-by-side at Phu Yen Hospital triaging patients from simulated disasters.
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| On August 16-17, over 100 Pacific Partnership and Vietnamese personnel worked side-by-side at Phu Yen Hospital triaging patients from simulated disasters. |
At the closing ceremony, hosted by Phu Yen leadership on the evening of August 18, Vice Chairman of Phu Yen Provincial People’s Committee Dao My emphasized that PP23 brought many meaningful activities to the local community such as free health checks, free surgeries, disaster prevention support and training for Phu Yen people and medical staff. PP23 also contributed to enhancing mutual understanding between Vietnamese and American people, which strengthened the people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper extolled Pacific Partnership's role in the United States and Vietnam relationship.
“Pacific Partnership is a tangible demonstration of our commitment to security cooperation and people-to-people ties.
This was demonstrated across Phu Yen over the last two weeks by the engineers, medical professionals, and subject matter experts who have worked closely with their Vietnamese counterparts to connect with the people of Phu Yen and help improve their lives," said Ambassador Knapper.
US Navy Captain Claudine Caluori, PP23 Mission commander, added that it has been a privilege to be in Vietnam and conducted the largest annual, multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific on the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of the Comprehensive Partnership between the United States and Vietnam.
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| At the closing ceremony, the delegates inaugurated three classrooms at Hoa Dinh Tay Primary School (Phu Hoa district) sponsored by PP23 (Photo: US Embassy in Vietnam). |
“The numbers of all that were completed during Pacific Partnership 2023’s week and a-half mission stop in Tuy Hoa embodies the mission’s values of enhancing humanitarian response and disaster relief. I would like to thank the Government of Vietnam for welcoming my team and look forward to seeing Vietnam’s relationship with the United States prosper for years to come," said Caluori.
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| Delegates at the closing ceremony on the evening of August 18 in Tuy Hoa city, Phu Yen province (Photo: US Embassy in Vietnam). |
On the same day, a ribbon-cutting ceremony of new classrooms at the Dinh Hoa Tay Primary School (Phu Hoa), a construction project funded by PP23, was held.
Speaking at the event, Chief Builder Mike Voicechovski shared the special meaning of the newly-built educational facility.
"This new schoolhouse will provide an educational facility for 102 students. The classrooms' structure has raised flooring to make sure it can handle heavy rain and flooding. It can also serve as temporary shelter during extreme weather. Through hard work and perseverance, the 29 U.S. Seabees, Air Force, and Marines that worked on this project completed the three-room schoolhouse in just 47 days," said Voicechovski.
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| The construction team of 29 U.S. Seabees, Air Force, and Marines worked for 47 days to complete the project at Hoa Dinh Tay Primary School (Phu Hoa district) (Photo: US Embassy in Vietnam). Now in its 18th year, Pacific Partnership 2023 is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific.PP23 is the 12th time Pacific Partnership returns to Vietnam to enhance disaster response capabilities and foster new and enduring friendships. |
Q.Hoa t.h / Vietnamtimes
